Madeira is a beautiful island but my favourite part is the rugged and unspoilt northern coast - diametric opposite to the developed south coast. When I think of Madeira my memories always go here, to the long coast road with its tunnels and waterfalls, its vertiginous cliffs and mid Atlantic rollers crashing onto them. Half way along this coast is the small town of Seixal with a black sand beach on one side, sheltered from the breakers by an extensive harbour wall, and an even more sheltered natural seawater lagoon on the other. Best of all, it is only the locals who know about this place, so it is never too busy. The beach is one of my favourite places to swim, as the black sand below and verdant cliffs above conspire to make the water a deep bottle green. The sun is to the south of the island and you are often in the shadow of the cliffs (so go in the middle of the day if you want to catch its rays), but this makes for a magical atmosphere for a dip, especially when there is a mist falling from the mountain. This is wild swimming at its best but, as I said, it is very sheltered and you do not need to be an especially confident swimmer to enjoy. If you looked up and saw a pterodactyl circling, you wouldn't be that shocked. Well, maybe after a second. If you visit Madeira and don't explore the north, you are missing out on some real unspoiled beauty. Seixal is a quiet village, with no tourist shops and a laid-back way of life. Between the beach and the lagoon there is a small outdoor cafe on the water's edge, Lounge Bar Club Naval do Seixal. They serve great local food, including Lapas (limpets) caught straight from the sea in front and grilled in garlic butter - one of my absolute favourite dishes of Madeira. Order a jug of white or red sangria, or a nice large chilled beer (Caneca), and take your time. To find it, turn off the coast road at the sign for Seixal and follow the road down to the end of the small port where there's plenty of parking. Here you will find a charming little spot to while away the day and escape of bustle of the Funchal and its chlorinated swimming pools. There is just enough concrete to make the beach and lagoon accessible without ruining the nature. Just watch out for velociraptors - they're fast here.
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